Dapto Silver Collar Final Preview
The Dapto Silver Collar final takes place at Dapto on Thursday night, with a quality field of chasers lining up to challenge for the prize. Gaudi, for Steve White, was the fastest qualifier from the heats.
Box 1 – Velvet Fog
The Bit Chili-Hannah Jane bitch suffered interference in her 30.60 heat run last week and will fare better from this inside draw. She’s got a best time of 29.82 which was run at the track back in March. She is a recent Wentworth Park winner in 30.13 and has the ability to pinch this race from the good draw.
Box 2 – Pantone Green
The Margaret Keys trained chaser looks the likely leader if he carves out the early sections he is capable of. The black dog by Magic Sprite-Wind It Up showed his early dash last week to cross easily from box eight and secure his heat win in 30.23. He hasn’t broken the 30 second barrier at Dapto and isn’t the strongest dog in the field, so he will be hoping to clear out early and for the stronger dogs to find some interference.
Box 3 – Minza Red One
The 48 month old chaser returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in a number of months last week after he had some luck on the first turn, resulting in him heading into the back straight as the race leader. He won his heat in 30.62, but has recorded 29.88 at Dapto, which was two years ago. The Bombastic Shiraz-Araluen Valley dog is an experienced chaser but is getting on in age and appears a place chance at best in this field.
Box 4 – Ding’s Chance
If this dog can get some open space it will be a sight to behold. Once he found space last week, he stormed home into second. The Mogambo-It’s A Chance Dog has recorded a flying 29.58 at Dapto and if he begins, the race is all over. However, he isn’t a consistent beginner and box four isn’t the best place to be if he doesn’t begin.
Box 5 – Ariek Viv
Ariek Viv led for most of her heat from box six last week but was grabbed by Velvet Fog down the home straight to lose by a length in 30.60. The Where’s Pedro-Ariek Angel bitch has managed to record just four wins from 30 starts and has recorded a moderate 30.46 best time at the track. This race looks a little tough for her to win.
Box 6 – Supercell
Mary Wright’s dog has been running himself back into a bit of form of late. He ran second in his heat last week, beaten by 2 3/4 lengths by the fastest qualifier Gaudi and then followed that up with a win over 274 metres at Appin on Sunday. The box manners of the Lochinvar Marlow-Super Celestrial dog leave a lot to be desired, but if he can time the start he is more than capable of running the time required to win this race.
Box 7 – Gaudi
Gaudi, a black dog by Collision-Mary Virginia, was impressive winning his heat last week, doing it at both ends of the race. The Steve White trained chaser had the fastest first section and strongest run home time of all the heats and recorded 30.10 on what appeared to be a sluggish Dapto surface. He has won three of his last four and has recorded 29.78 here back in September. He has had one win from box seven from five starts, but if he begins like last week, he should be right in this and will probably start the favourite.
Box 8 – Fancy Rhythm
The Brett Lee-Fancy Penny dog had this alley last week at his first ever start at Dapto. He recorded a second placing behind Minza Red One. If you were looking for a smokey in the race, I would label this dog as that. He is a consistent beginner with consistent early speed, which is an asset at a track like Dapto. He will be improved by the look last week and if Gaudi happens to miss the start, Fancy Rhythm will be right there to cross. He is more than capable if things go his way.
Mike Lowrie is the first reserve and will need some luck in the early stages of the race to feature. He is a strong dog but doesn’t have the early speed of some of the others in the field. He ran third behind Gaudi last week. Crash Model is the second reserve and will struggle to feature in the placings if she gains a start. She doesn’t have the best record at Dapto, winning just once from nine attempts.
Gaudi was the standout run last week because of the way he began and finished off his heat run. If he does the same again, he will be winning this race. There’s plenty of speed about with Velvet Fog, Pantone Green and Fancy Rhythm all able to go forward early. In most finals at Dapto it is often the leader into the back straight that will skip away with the win. The final is race six on the card and jumps at 9:14pm.
Awesome photo.
Gaudi looks unbeatable.
Awesome photo.
Gaudi looks unbeatable.